The Step Brother

18. Prom Night.

Willow

She tilts her head at the girl staring back at her in the vanity mirror in her bedroom. Her dark hair falls in long waves down her chest with a sparkly pin that holds half of it up and out of her face. Her big brown eyes are painted with eyeshadow, eyeliner, and framed by long black lashes. Her lips are red. She's wearing a dark blue prom dress with spaghetti straps and sparkles. It's become Jace's favorite color on her and she wants to look pretty for him tonight, even though she won't technically be going as his date.

Ryder and Zoey are to arrive any moment. Jace is finishing getting ready in his room while their parents are downstairs, probably waiting to take some pictures. She's surprised Mom hasn't barged up here already or started crying.

There's his familiar knock at her bathroom door and she lifts her dress as she goes to open it. They wanted to have this first look at each other before everyone else, before they have to put on any show or pretend, where they can at least sneak a few kisses or flirty words in.

When she opens the door, Jace's tall figure and handsome face greets her. He's dressed in a nicely tailored, black tuxedo. The bow tie looks adorable on him, although it's a bit lopsided so she'll need to fix that before he goes downstairs. His dark hair falls perfectly into place across his forehead in its usual style, and his blue eyes are hyper focused on her.

"Lo," He places a hand over his heart while he continues drinking in the details of her. "I'd fall to my knees right now but I'm pretty sure I'd rip the tux. You look... perfect. Absolutely perfect."

She blushes. He compliments her all the time but she's still not quite used to it. She wishes she could see herself the way he seems to see her. "Thank you. I could say the same about you."

His fingers lift at the silver chain of his mother's necklace around her neck. It makes her shiver. "Are you sure you want to risk wearing it?"

"I'm sure," She's given it some thought. She can't exactly show up with her arm in his at prom. They can't dance together. They can't kiss. He can't put his jacket around her shoulders towards the end of the night. So she's afforded herself this small thing. Who's going to notice anyways? Jace has always kept it close to him, and so she wants to keep it close to herself. The cool metal against her skin is a reminder that he's with her always. "I want to let myself have at least this."

He tilts her chin up. "I promise I'm going to find us a way to dance together and get the full experience of your first prom, okay? I haven't broken any of my promises yet, have I?"

It's true, he does have a good track record of following through on things. She holds up her pinky finger for him and he links his through hers. She's got butterflies in her stomach. It feels like tonight is a night that's going to change their lives forever.

"You might have to reapply your lipstick." He says.

"What? Why?" She starts to turn in the direction of the mirror again but he catches her wrist and pulls her close.

Now both of his hands are on her face and he kisses her in the kind of way that makes your heart stop beating and time stop moving. It's a kiss to sum up all that they've been through, how they've managed to stick together, how they've fallen so in love it's what every teen love song sings about. Why do adults always shame kids in love? This doesn't feel like a crush or a fling. This is the real deal. She can feel it in her whole heart. The way he kisses her, there's no doubt he loves her. And she loves him. She loves him so much.

Her hands move inside his tuxedo jacket, desperate to feel his skin but knowing she can't. So instead she just keeps him close against her body. She doesn't care if he steps on her dress.